Straw-burning device



June 2, 1925. 1,540,382

F. o. ARMSTRONG STRAW BURNING DEVICE Filed April 2, 1924 l @5% aua/Mu @Hoz new Patented .lune 2, 1925.

UNITED [STATES FRANK O.- AEMSTRCNG, OF ALTAMONT, KANSAS.

s'rnAw-nnanine nie-vien.

`.Application filed April 2, 1924, Serial No. 703,739.

fo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK "O. ARM- STRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altamont, inithe county.` of Labette and State ofwKansas, Vhave invented certain new and useful improvements in a Straw- Burning'Devjice, of which the following 'is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements for :use lin connection with burning straw, and has for its principal object to provide a simple-and etiicient means for regulating the burning lof the` straw when the same is deposited in a stove or furnace.

A vfurther objectofi-thefinvention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which includes a gravity actuated weight for placing a pressure on the straw when the same is in a stove, 'whereby the straw will be caused to burn more evenly and steadily.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which may be convenient-ly and easily placed in position upon a stove without interfering with any of the parts there of, means being provided for holdingv the device in an inoperative position while straw is being placed in the stove previous to the burning of the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strongand durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same- Figure l, is a side elevation of a stove showing the shaft actuating means and the manner in which the straw and weight therefor are arranged within the stove,

Figure 9. is a vertical section through the stove with my attachment in position ther@- on, and

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken approximately on line 3 3 of Figure l.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l designates a stovebf any well known construction which is provided with a door'Z for :depositln-g thestraw in the stove, and the numeral 3 `designates the door to the-:fire box, the saine being of the usual construction and a further ydescrhption of the same is not thought necessary; for the kpurpose of carrying out the obj ectof the present invention.

Extending'transversely through the top of the stove l is 'the shaft't. The shaft is iournaledin any suitable manner .in theiopposed sides of the stove and carried. on :one-:endiof the shaft on theouter side of the stove 1 is the ratchet wheel 6a handle bein'g `carried by the outer end of the shaft i-acliacent the ratchet wheel l6 for the purpose of actuating the shaft. A suitable pawl 7 is pivotally supported on the stove l and cooperates with the ratchet wheel 6 in the manner as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Secured at one end to the intermediate portion of the shaft lis the chain 8, and the opposite end of the chain carries thereon the weight 9 which is in the form of a circular plate and is provided with a Aplurality of spaced apertures 10 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

In use, the handle is rotated so that the chain 8 willbe wound around the shaft 4 raising the weight 9 to the top of the stove and the straw to be burned which comprises or consists of stalks of any grain plant that has been separated from the grain in a threshing machine7 and usually the stalks are baled and when the straw is to be burned in the stove7 the same is removed from the bale and deposited through the opening in the stove. After a certain quantity of straw has been deposited in the stove, the pawl 7 is released. from engagement with the ratchet wheel and the weight 9 will by gravity descend in the stove, and willreston the top of the straw deposited therein. The weight will cause a pressure to be placed on the straw so that the same may be caused to burn more evenly and steadily, and the openings 10 will provide a means for preventing the 'possibility ofthe smoth-r ering or smoking of the straw, thereby permittin the straw to be efiiciently burned. As the straw is burned, the weight will descend until all of the straw has been burnt. and the handle 5 is then actuated to again raise the weight 9 to the top of the stove, the pawl 7 holding` the same against downward movement therein, so that the stove may again be filled with straw to be burned, and the operation of the weight again repeated.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that an attachment has been provided for use in connection with a stove whereby straw' may be burned in an easy and efficient manner, the provision of the Weight providing a sufficient pressure to cause the straw to be steadily burned. The simplicity of my device furthermore enables the same to be easily placed in position on any stove or furnace and will not require the alteration of the same in order to support the device in an operative position.

Vhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted te without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim is A straw burning device of the class described comprising a sha-tt adapted to lle mounted for rotation in the upper portion of a stove, a hand crank connected to one end of said shaft, a ratchet wheel connected to said shaft, a pawl adapted for cooperation with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, a gravity lowered follower-weight adapted to be disposed for vertical movement within the body of the stove, said weight being of discular forni and provided with a plurality of apertures and being of a predetermined diameter with respect to the body of the stove in which it is placed whereby to provide space between itself and` the wall of the stove body, and a supporting and hoisting chain wound at its upper end upon said shaft and connected at its lower end to the centen of said weight, whereby to permit free swinging of the lat-r ter so as to permit it to rest upon a burning tire of irregular-form.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

FRANK O. ARMSTRONG. 

